Cotton-picker.



C. RHODES.

COTTON PlcKER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 3, l9l3. 1,166,935, Patented Jan. 4, 1916. l

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

C. RHODES.

COTTON PICKER.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. 3. I9Ia.

Patented J an. 4, 1916.

CLYDE RHODES, or cooLEDGE, TEXAS.

COTTON-PICKER.

Specification of Letters Patent. l Patented Jan. 4, 1916.

Application led November 3, 1913. Serial No. 799,015.

ot' Texas, have invented certain new and' useful Improvements in .Cotton-Pickers; and I do hereby declare the vfollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. v

This invention relates to improvements in cotton pickers. and particularly to pneumatic cotton pickers.

The principal object of the. invention is to provide rotatable suction devices which will draw the eottonfrom the plants in one part of the rotation and drop the same in the remaining part of the rotation..

Another object resides inthe provision of novel means for driving the pickers and discharging the picked cotton into suitable receptacles.

A still further object resides in novel means for permitting suction in the por.- tion of each of the pickers when engaging the plant, while at the same time relieving suction in the opposite side ot' each of the pickers to permit the cotton to drop therefrom.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description, when taken 1n connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of my cotton picker machine. Fig. 2 is a top plan view. Fig. 3 is a rear'elevation. Fig. 4 is an elevation of one of the rotatable drums. f Fig. 'is an enlarged vertical sectional view therethrough. Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 6 6 of Fig. Fig. 7 is a fragmentary interior elevationof a portion of the drum showing the gearing of the picker stems. Fig. 8is an enlarged vertical section on the line. 8 8 of Fig. 6, showing only one of the picker stems and valve therefor.

Referring particularly to the accompanying drawings, 10 represents a suitable framework carrying an axle 11 on which are mounted the ground engaging wheels 12 for supporting the frame the proper distance above the ground so that the picker devices will be in proper position for collecting the cotton' from the plants, this axle being arched for a reason wellv known.

Secured to the side rails of the frame,

and depending therebelow are suitable brackets 13, and stepped in the lower ends ot' these brackets are the stub shafts 14. Disposed through openings 15 in each of the side rails of the frame are depending pipes 16, the lower portions ot' which are perforated as shown, and each disposed within.

a drum 17. This drum has secured to its upper end, and rotatable on the upper portion of the pipe 16, below the side rail, a beveled lpinion 18 with which is meshed a beveled pinion 19 carried by suitably mounted downwardly and rearwardly inclined shafts 20, said shaft carrying a beveled pinion 21 on its lower end driven from a beveled pinion 22 carried by the-axle 11. The `beforementioned stub shaft- 1-1 is rigidly' secured against rotation in the bracket 13, and keyed on the said stub shaft within the drum 17 is a large beveled pinion 23. The upper end ot the stub shaft, is formed with a cupvshaped recess 21, in which is secured` the ,lower end of the perforated portion of the soA open and beveled to form seats 29 for the reception of correspondingly beveled valvey heads 30. Each of these valve heads carries a stem 32 which extends inwardly through the wall 27, a spring 31 being pro `vided to encircle the stem and normally ,hold the lvalve head off its seat, said spring having its inner and outer ends .disposed respectively between said wall and a pin 32 passed transversely through the stem. The

inner terminal of the Vstem -32 is provided with a spring-pressed roller bearing engagpipe 1S so that one yor more vertical lines of valve stems 32 will engage' the rings simultaneously for a purpose which will appear in the description of the operationv of the device. Rigidly secured on each of the picker stems, and between thel walls 25 and -26 is a pinion 35, the pinions of all of the stems of each vertical line intermeshing so ing with a cam ring 31 carried bythe perthat the adjacent stems are adapted to rotate continuously in opposite directions.

Mounted at the upper end of the perforated portion of the pipe 16, and within the drum is a beveled pinion 36 which meshes with the smaller beveledy pinion 37 disposed inwardly of, and formed integrally'with the pinions 35 of the uppermost picker stems. The lowermost pinions 35 are provided with beveled pinions 38 similarlyT disposed and formed with the pinions 37, these lpinions 38 meshing with the beforementioned pinion Thus, as the drum 17 rotates, the lowermost pinions 35 ,are driven by the pinion 33 and transmit alternate opposite rotation to the picker stems 28 thereabove, the uppermost beveled pinion 37 engaging the pinion 36 to relieve the strain on the intern'iediate pinions 35. v

` Connected to the upper end of each of the pipes 16 is a horizontally disposed and inwardly directed pipe 39, the inner' ends of the said pipes meeting in a coupling 40 cardrums will be rotated on the stub "shafts 14,

ried by a suction fan 41 which is suitably mounted on the frame 10 and driven a suitable motor, as the gas engine `42. The frame isfprovided with a draft pole43, so

, that the machine can be drawn by horses..

Onthe outer side of each of the side rails of the frame and inclosing the outer portions ofthedrums 17 is a casing 44, this casing having a bottom wall 45 spaced a suitable distance below the loWer'most picker stem 28 into which the cotton drops from the picker stems, Connected to the rear side of thecasing and extending upwardly to the fan L41gis a cottonvconveying pipe 46, this pipe dischargingfat the rear of the frame into sacks adapted to be held thereunder, but not shown.

I1n the operation ofthe device, the machine is drawnjby horses, or other power, the machine straddling the row of cotton plants, so that the plants pass between the drums.. By means of the gearing driven by the axle, the

while `at the same time the pinion 23 will cause the independent rotation of the picker stems 28. The engine 42 is, at the same time driving the fan 41 to create suction in the pipe 16, and as the .picker stems pass througn the plants, the valve heads v30 are withdrawn so that suction is created in thestemsy to cause the 'cotton to adhere thereto. As the drum rotates, and the stems which carry the cotton pass around to the opposite side, within the casing 44, the inner ends of the valve stems 32 engage with the cam rings and force the valve heads into their seats. This prevents or relieves suction in the picker stems at the side of the drum within the casings 44 and permits the cotton to drop from `thel stem to the bottom of the said casing.

-rotating picker stems on the drums and open tol the interiors thereof, means for creating suction in the drum, and means for closing the stems successively during a part of the rotation of the drums.

2. A cotton harvester, rotating drums, radially extendingA hollow and perforated picker stems mounted on the drums and open to the interiors thereof, means for creating a constant suction in the drums, means for rotating the stems independently of the drums, and means for Yclosing the stems against the suction as said stems pass a predetermined point.

3. A cotton harvester, rotating drums, radially extending hollow and perforated picker stems mounted on the drums and open to the interiors thereof, means for creating a constant suction in the drums, means for rotating the stems independently of the drums, valves seated inthe inner ends of the stems, means holding the valves normally seated, and means for forcing the valves to be seated during a part of the rotation of the drums.

4. In a cotton harvester, a rotating drum, hollow perforated picker stems mounted on the drum, means for rotating the stems independently of the drum2 the inner ends of thel `stems being open and formed with valve seats, valves for the seats, resilient means ,for holding the vvalves normally away from the seats, and means for seating the valves during a part of the rotation of the drum.

5. In a cotton harvester, a rotating drum,

' a suction means, a pipe connected to the suction means and extending into the drum, the portion of the pipe within the ldrum being perforated, a plurality of hollow perforated Vstems extending radially from the drum CLYDE RHODES.

Witnesses: v W. M. PRICHABD, RUFUS Sv. BURLEsoN.

opies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

